


Lift

by coverofnight



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 18:57:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15892074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coverofnight/pseuds/coverofnight
Summary: Joan and Vera take a ride in the elevator.





	Lift

**Author's Note:**

> I'm challenging myself to write a fic per day for as long as I can manage it. It's a little late, but this is fic number two.

The lift was going down. Joan took two long strides forward and was inside before Vera could even catch a glimpse of her.

“Hold the door, please!” Vera called, reaching her hand out as if to stop the lift from closing without her.

Joan outstretched a hand to hold the door and waited patiently for her Deputy to take a place beside her.

“Sorry, Governor,” Vera said as she hurried inside. A quiver in her voice betrayed a nervous energy Joan was keen to investigate.

“You in a rush this evening, Vera?”

Though they had put in some overtime, the night was still young. Plenty of time for after-hours activity.

Vera glanced up, noting how Joan's stern face caught the light in the elevator. It was a good face; not necessarily a kind one, but a good one, nonetheless. If she really tried, Vera thought, she could elicit a sort of kindness from this woman that she hadn't seen before. The only problem was that she was usually too nervous to do anything at all. Had she been a different being altogether, she might have asked the Governor out for a drink or over for dinner. Mostly she simply nodded and smiled.

Tonight, though, she had other plans.

“I, um, I have a date, so I'm in a bit of a hurry. Yes,” Vera responded. Her lips pressed into an uncertain smile that faded almost as quickly as it had appeared.

Despite the simplicity of her answer, Vera cowered in the shadow of the other woman. Joan stood tall and confident, hands clasped neatly over her belly. Nothing could shake Joan Ferguson and it made Vera feel as though some great punishment might befall her for having a life outside of Wentworth. 

“Mm.” This time, it was Joan who nodded and smiled. It wasn't at all like her to pry, but as Vera was usually so open, she figured a simple question might clear the air between them.

The afternoon had seen them at odds. In the months Vera had worked under Joan, she seemed to have learned nothing of delegation, of professional finesse, or of handling conflict. Instead, she relied on Joan to manage all the things she felt ill-equipped to handle and, today, Joan simply didn't have the patience. Not that the Governor made any bones about it, really, but Vera knew well that Joan wasn't happy with her.

Desperate as Vera was to win Joan over, being in a lift alone with her wasn't exactly Vera’s idea of a good time, especially not after the cold shoulder she’d received this afternoon. A silence fell over them as the lift stalled for a moment. It was then that Vera's mobile rang, prompting her to rummage around in her bag for it and answer. Joan's ears pricked up.

“Yes, this is she…Um, right. No, no that's fine...Next time, then,” Vera's voice faltered more than usual at the tail end of her conversation, which indicated to Joan that things were not quite right.

“Everything alright, Vera?”

Vera startled slightly at the low voice with which Joan spoke to her. It happened sometimes that Vera would be moved by an inflection or a word coming from the Governor's mouth. This was no different. Still, she saw no reason to let the Governor know that her date had been canceled just as she was ready to head out for the night. Knowing Joan, she didn't really need to say anything anyway.

Vera nodded and without looking up said, “Yeah, yes. Good. Thanks.”

Unsure what to do with her nervous energy, Vera picked at a jagged fingernail, making a _flick-flick-flick_ sound every time one nail met the other. Joan felt sudden irritation rise within her for the second time today. Rather than succumb to it, she chose to act in kindness.

As the lift slowly lowered them to the depths of Wentworth, Joan grounded herself and placed a hand over Vera’s, effectively stopping her from picking at that fingernail. With her fingertips, Joan took stock of the state of Vera's nails--all of them jagged and in need of care.

“You'd do well to have a manicure, Vera. I do my own. I'd be happy to do yours as well. Tonight, even,” Joan said. Her voice was calm, completely genuine, and in Vera's eyes, full of promise.

The Deputy Governor nodded agreement. “I think I'd like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse the quality of this. I wrote it in like 30 minutes. I'm trying to hold myself to this self-imposed challenge as well as release myself from anxiety/insecurity about posting my work even when I don't feel it's ready to be seen.


End file.
